Tracker-bar for automatic musical instruments.



J. J. KLEIN. TRACKER BAB FOR AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

4J.v J. KLEIN. TRACKER BAR FOR AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 28. 1909` 1,067,926; Patented July 22, 1913.

i-.manananeununennbnnauccnannnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnunuauanennnnnnonnnnnanennnnmnnnnl 4 XEUUUQOQQ/JQuQ/gm J. J'. KLEIN.

TRACKER BAB POB AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 28, 1909.

Patented July 22, 1913.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

J. J. KLEIN. TBAOKBB BAB FOR AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 28, 1909. 1,067,926. Patented July 22, 1913.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

ngnuuuaaunuaaunuunnuonunnnunuouanc unnmacmaunnnmonuuacua 35 t; Matton/mmf NTTED sTaTEs PATENT oEEIoE.

JAMES J. KLEIN, OF NEW YORK, N. yY., ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO CONRAD R. SCHUMACHER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

TRACKER-BAR FOR AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JAMES J. KLEIN, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of New York, borough of Bronx, count-y of New York, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tracker-Bars for Automatic Musical Instruments, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

My invention relates to pneumatically-operated musical instruments and has for its object to improve the construction of the tracker bar used in such instruments whereby the same tracker bar can be used for rolls having perforations "arying in size and of different spacingand at the same time admit a uniform amount of air to the player action pneumatic valves and other working parts.

Another object is to transpose the key in which the music is played by either raising or lowering the key from that in which the note sheet has been cut.

Another object is to enable the transposing device -to act, also, as a part of the means whereby rolls of music with differently spaced lines of perforations may be played with the same tracker bar without additional parts.

Another object is to furnish a device which shall be small and compact, shall have few parts, and shall be self-contained.

Another object is t0 improve the means of shifting a change slide used in such tracker bar as one of the means whereby the same is adapted to play rolls of music differently perforated. l

Another object is to providea tracker bar with a shiftable tube head in combination with an adjusting and indexing feature, thereby forming a transposing device which will play up or down the scale, increasing or decreasing the pitch by semi-tones, thus playing the note sheet in a higher or lower key while playing the instrument'without the necessity of adding additional holes in the face of tracking bar or shifting the tracker face for transposing purposes.

These and otherd objects which will appear as the description proceeds, I accomplish by Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 28, 1909.

Patented July 22,1913. Serial No. 504,889.

the devices hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, whereinf Figure 1 is a face viewof a tracker bar provided with two rows of channels adapted to play with note sheets having fiftyeight, .sixty-five, or eighty-eight lines of perforations. Fig. 2 is a top view of the tracker bar and tube head partly in section, the section being taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1, through the sixty-ive line of .perfo rations. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal lsection on the line 3 2 of Fig. 10, the

change slide being illustrated in full lines. Fig. 4 is a rear view of the tracker bar, parts being shown in section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 10. Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 2, taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1, through the eighty-eight line of perforations, Fig. 6 is a face View of a form of tracker bar having aV single row of perfora-y tions. Fig. 7 is a top view, partly in section, on the line 7 -7 of Fig. 6, illustrating an adjustable tube head forming a transposing device. Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view illustrating various modified forms of mouthpiece openings in tracker bar face which may be used to secure uniformity of suction when a double line of channels is employed in the tracker bar. Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail sectional view on the line 9-9 of Fig. 12, illustrating the means for adjusting the transposing device. Fig. 10 is an enlarged transverse section of the tracker bar on the line 10-10 of Fig. 1, illustrating one of the eighty-eight line of channels in playing position. Fig. 11 is an enlarged detail View, partly in section and partly broken away, illustrating the to of the right end of the tracker bar (Fig. 1). Fig. 12 is an enlarged detail view of the adjusting means for the transposing device. Fig. 13 is a similar view of a modified form of the adjusting means of Fig. 12. Fig. 14

is a rear elevation of the tube head broken away and partly in section. Fig. 15 is a top view of a tracker bar and tube head, partly in section, wherein the adjustable tube head serves as a combined transpo'sing device and change slide. Fig. 16 is a vertical longitudinal section of the` complete device on the line 16-16 of Fig. 15, showing the rear ofthe tracker bar in full lines and illustrating the channels therein as staggered. F ig. 17 is a diagrammatic view illustrating features of construction of the channels in the tracker bar. Fig. 18 is a tube head adjusting-device adapted to the constructions of Figs. 15 and 16.

Rolls of music as now `commercially supplied for player pianos and piano players' are differently perforated, some having sixty-five lines of perforations transversely and some having eighty-eight'. The perforations in. these different rolls are not of the same width, but are so much wider in those rolls having sixty-live perforations than in those having eighty-eight perforations that the former require a wider roll lthan the latter. The openings in the.tracker bar conform in width to the perforations in the roll, and tracker bars which arel constructed to receive a sixty-five roll will no-t operate with an eighty-eight roll. It is-gtherefore of advantage that the tracker bar'fshall be so c0nstructed that it will play. A with either roll of music and that by reason of the differing width of the perforations in such rolls, and the necessity that the opening in the tracker bar shall be of the same Width, and in order to secure uniform and the best results, that a uniform amount of air shall be admitted to the pneumatics and other Working parts of player action from these differing openings in the tracker bar. It is also probable that rolls Will-be supplied having perforations differing in spacing and dimension from those heretofore supplied and it is important that devices adapted to play with various spaced rolls should be constructed upon.a principle of such flexibility that it will easily adapt itself to all spacings.

Uniform az'r control-In the principal form of my improved tracker bar as illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, '3, 4, 5, 9, 10, and 1l, the tracker bar 1 is provided with two rows of channels 2, 3. The upper row contains sixty-five channels 2, and the lower row eighty-eight channels 3, designed for music rc-lls having these respective perforations. These channels are arranged in the -face of the tracker bar to register with music and are of different size, thechannels 2 being larger than the channels 3. At the rear, however, they are of uniform size and are symmetrically disposed with their sides in the same vertical planes as seen in Fig. 4,z

illustrating the rear of the tracker bar.

i Here, `however,'the row containing the channels 3, which are intended to be eighty-eight in number, is wider than the other row, and

extends beyond the row contning channels 2, which are sixtyffive in number, and will contain eleven more channels at one end and twelve more at the other end. As drawn, only eighty-six channels are illustrated, wherefore `the row of channels 3 only projects ten channels at the left over channels 2.

To produce an even spacing of the two rows of channels at the rear of the tracker bar, the channels 2, Which, though less in number occupy a greater width at the face of the tracker bar, are caused to converge toward the rear as seen in Fig. QF, and the channels 3 are caused to diverge toward the rear, as seen in Fig. 5. As both rows of channels control the iniow of air to the same set/ of perforations and player pneumatics, it is important to secure the best results that a uniform amount of air shall be admitted to said parts from channels 2, as well as from channels 3. Normally, channels 2 being of greater area in cross-section, would, if of the samie diarreter throughout, admit more air than the smaller channels 3, and this I propose to control by constructing the face or front opening of the channels 2 in some one of the various forms illustrated in Fig. S, where, although the cross-sectional area is reduced so that itl shall approxilnately conform to that of channels 3, the full width of the channel at some part thereof is preserved so that it shall register with the perforations in the rol l. I conceive the fish-tail form of opening, which I designate 4, as being useful for the purpose.

I desire to admit a uniform amount of air through the channels as well as the channels 3 'for the reason. that as the bleed holes in both single and double valve pneumatic systems in common use are proportioned to the size of the openings in the tracker bar, one size of bleed hole mustl bleed into the vacuum chamber whatever air remains in the tracker tube after the air admitted has performed its function, z'. e., striking the valve actuating diaphragms. If the rows of tracker openings are of different sizes, the bleed would be rapid for 88 note or smaller tracker openings and slacker -for the note or larger tracker openings, due to difference in amount of air admitted through smaller or larger tracker openings. It follows'that the different rows of o-penings in the tracker bar should be brought as nearly to a uniform siz'e as possible in order that the best results in playing should be accomplished.

By reason of the variable spacing between the two rows of channels in the face, and in order to produce a uniform arrangement at the rear and have a substantial amount of material between the channels at the rear of the tracker-bar and that the `distance from front to rear shall be of minimum dimensions, I construct said channels so that their width, by which I mean theirhorizontal dimensions, shalldiminish igradually throughout the slanting portion, as seen best in the and music adapted to either' row may be enlarged view (Fig. 11), and in the dia. grammatic view (Fig. 17). Their depth, however, by which I mean their vertical dimensions, is increased throughout this slanting portion, as seen clearly in enlarged views (Figs. 9 and 10), and thereby their cross-sectional area is substantially uniform. In order to avoid irregularity in the size of the channels at the rear, which would occur if the slanting portion of the channels extended to the rear of the tracker bar, I construct the channels with straight terminals 5, the rear being of uniform size.

In the enlarged diagrammatic view (Fig. 17), I have shown, somewhat exaggerated, this feature in the right-hand channel 6, and it will be seen that small shoulders 7 are formed at the junction of the slanting portion of such channel with the straight terminals thereof, such shoulders being the result of the junction of the uniformly sized straight rear channels 5 with the inclined portions 6 of the channels. From the tracker bar rearwardly, both sets of channels operate through the same tubesand uniformity of suction will exist. I secure i the same uniformity in the different rows ot' channels in the tracker bar by the use of the irregularly-shaped openings 4 (Fig. 8). and by the uniformity in cross-sectional area of the slanting portions of the channels, and the provision of the Transposfng/ rientro-I have provided means whereby, without the use' of addi` tional parts other than adjusting defices, the key may be raised or lowered one or more notes as desired, and this I accomplish by making the tube head adjustable. In Figs. 6 and 7 I have illustrated a simple form of device wherein the tracker bar 8 is formed with a single row of channels which are wide and shallow at front and deep and narrow at rear. The tube head 9 slides longitudinally of the tracker bar and is adA justed by a block 10, which is attached to it in any suitable way, as by screws 11, and slides in a slot 12 in the tracker bar. The block has a ingerpiece 13, by which it may be moved, and which, also, by means of the arrow (Fig. 6), serves as a pointer to indicate upon the scale of the tracker bar the cxtent of adjustment required. I may also straight terminals. l t i i employ the same transposing device in a j tracker bar containing two rows of channels, and when so employed it will act, when desired, not only as a transposing device, but also as a changing device, whereby either row of channels may be made to play at will transposed. A device embodying this construction is illustrated in Figs. 13 and 1t and tle tube head employed therewith is; shown in detail in Figs. 9, 10, and 14. ln this forni the tracker bar 1 is of the coni structio'n of Figs. 1 to 5, with the exception that the channels are staggered at the rear of the .tracker bar, as seen in Fig. 16, and are notl symmetrically arranged, as in Fig. 4.

The tube head 9 tits snugly against the rear of the tracker bar and is formed with a series of rectangular chambers 14 in its face (1`igs.1(),14),into which open the oval tubes 15, which may be provided with round terminals 16 for easy attachment to the flexible player-action tubes. The tubes employed are made oval by reason of the larger number that may be located in the same width, and they are bent at their lower ends, as at 17, for easy attachment to the iiexible tlbes. The material between the channels in the same row in Fig. 16 should be not less than the width of the channels, and if anything, should be slightly wider than the air channels, and the air chambers 14 are of uniform width, so that when these chambers are in position to admit air from one set of channels, the opposite set, owing to the staggered arrangement, will be closed.

The means for securing the adjustment of the tube head may be of the simple form illustrated in Figs. 6 aid 7, but owing to the fact that two rows vof channels are employed and accuracy of adjustment is required, I prefer to employ an adjusting device of the kind illustrated in Fig. 18, where a combined ngerpiece and pointer 60 is fixed upon a shaftl 61., which extends from front to rear of tracker bar and is journaled in a boss 62, formed upon the top of the tracker bar, and at its rear end carries fixed thereto, an arm G3, slotted at (Lf, to receive a pin projecting rearwardly from the tube head. 'I' he pointer 60 indicates upon a double scale with right and ,left hand graduations, the inner graduations representing the position of the pointer when the sixtylive music is playing and the necessary movements of the pointer to transpose higher or lower by semi-tones, and the outer row of graduations represent the position of the pointer when the eighty-eight music is playing and the necessary movements of the pointer to transpose higher or lower by semi-tones. This is a desirable and practicable way of adjusting the tube head, but other modes might be employed, as my invention does not alone reside in the means of accomplishing such adjustment- I have in the foregoing description of the form of device illustrated in Figs. 15 and 16, referred to Figs. 9, 10. and 11, as showl Vlng the construction vthe tube head is moved the adjustmentneed "The lever and index 40, 41, 42, at lefthand or the other sets of channels at the `rear of the tracker bar according to adjustment, ward end of shaft 21, which extends rearwhereas the construction of Figs. 15, 1G, is i wardly through a hole in/the tracker bar and designed to eliminate such change slide and l at its rear end carries a toothed segment Q2 to transfer its function to the tube head. i firmly fixed thereto and gearing into a simi- The presence of the change slide in the conlar toothed segment 23 lixed upon a shaft struction of Figs. 9, 10, and 11, causes no 24 located upon the upper face of the tube change in the construct-ion or operation of head and swiveled in a boss or lug 25 prothe tube head adjusting-devices there illusjeeting upwardly therefrom. At its rear end t-rated, changes only being made in the int this shaft has an arm 26 fixed upon it, which dexing, and these views illustrate the device l is slotted atQ( and a pin 28 piojecting rearings. The handle 18fis fixed upon the forof Figs. 15, 16. wardly from the tube head enters said slot- The presence of the slide 39, when it is and converts the rotary motion of the arm used, however, does not prevent the adjustinto a longitudinal movement of the tube ment of the tube head as a transposing dehead. vice, and in Figs. 1 to 5 and 9 to 14, I have In Fig, 13 a knurled knob or disk 29 is illustrated a construction employing such located upon the face of the tracker bar at slide and providing for the adjustment Of either end and is provided with a pointer inthe4 tube head to transpose the music. Here dieating.upon a scale or index as before. l have improved the means employed to ad- This is fixed upon a shaft 30, which extends just the change slide, employing for that rearwardly through a hole in the tracker purpose a handle and pointer.40 (Fig. l), bar and also through a slot 31 in the tube on the face of the tracker bar at the end head. Situated interiorly of the tube head opposite the transposing pointer indicating and at the front thereof in a recess milled upon a scale 41 on the adjacent face of the in the rear of the tracker bar proper is a tracker bar and tixed upon a shaft 4Q, which disk 32 fixed upon the shaft 30 and provided passes rearwardly through a hole in the with a pin 33. This pin takes into a slot 34 tracker bar and at its rear end carries a cam of a swinging arm 35, which at one endis 43, which is located within a recess 44 in swiveled to a boss 35 formed upon the top the rear of the tracker bar. Upon the face i of the tube head and at the other end is of the slide 39 and extending within the i swiveled to a link 36, which is swiveled at 37 recess 44, are two parallel flanges 45, which to a bracket 38, extending downwardly from tit the cam 43 snugly, but have play in the the tube head. The slide 39 .controls the recess 44. As the cam 43 is turned, the slide tracker bar channels and Whichever set is in 3.9 will be nio-ved longitudinally4 to cerreuse will permit air to pass through the slide spond and locked in position, so that when to the air chambers 14 in the tube head and thence through the tubes 15, 16, as both sets not be disturbed. Only a slight motion is t of the openings at the rear of the tracker necessary to adjust the slide and therefore t bar, as well as both sets of perforations in the recess 44 need not be large. the slide areI of uniform size. As these open- ()ther forms of adjusting devices which i ings at the rear of the tracker bar ie in dif` might be employed are illustrated in Figs. ferent horizontal planes, the chambers, 14 in 12 and 13. .ln Fig. 12 a combined handle I the tube head are made deep enough (in and pointer le is located upon a recess 19 in l vertical dimension) to cover either set which the face of the tracker bar near the end may be playing. The width of the chamthereof and indicates upon\a scale 2() formed j bers 14 (horizontally), is such that they will upon the faecl of said tracker bar. This t register with any of the pcrforations inthe scale is single, with right and left hand i slide 39. but will not admit air from the graduations, the graduations and figures at i perforations on each side in the other row. the right of the normal position of the l The depth of these chambers rearwardly is pointer indicating the proper position of large enough to obtain uniform flow of air the tube head with respect to higher notes, at this point in the tube head. To obtain, the index and figures on this side indicating therefore, a transposition of music without the numbi of semi-tones higher it is posl any liability of admitting air through the sible to pla' the note sheet, and the graduclcsed channel, the index 2O (Fig. l2), is ations and figures upon the other side indimade double, to wit, it has two scales, one eating such position with respect to the i reading each way from the central position, other or lower notes, the index and figures l ene row indicating the extent of transposihere indicating the number of semi-tones tien and propel' halting place on the index lower in which the music may be, played. higher or lower by semi-toneswhen 'playing with music having certain perforations, and I thc other row indicating likewise for music diii'erently perforated.

The tube head is maintained in position end of tracker bar (Fig. 1), are used for setting change slide for playing sixty-tive or eighty-eight (88) tracker face op'enby suitable means, as, for instance, by Hat springs 46 (Figs. it), ll) attached by screws 47 at the `rear .eide of walls 48, which are integral with the tracker bar, and these springs press the tube head forwardly upon the change slide with sutticient force to keep the joints air-tight at this point.

In the construction of the tracker bar I have made improvements which tend to give a tighter joint and prevent leakage ot air consisting in the fins 49, 50, at the front and rear of the channels respectively, The said fins are integral with the bottom plate by which l mean the material closing the rear part of the tracker bar and which has perforations corresponding to the channels. This bottom plate is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1t). The said tracker therefor as shown comprises as integral parts the tracking face, rearwardly extending fins, central partition, bottom plate, forwardly extending tins and rear 'ardly extending walls, and such construction l prefer but do not deem essential to my invention. These channels are closed by lids 5l., which tit so snugly as to maintain their position, and it the channels were open on the outside at the ends,

v there would be danger of leakage, which l overcome by closing the channels at those points by said fins, which are integral with the tracker bar. A packing 52 of thin rubber cloth or cloth and shellac may, it' desired, be placed inside ot' these lids in the position indicated by the heavy lines on the inside otl said lids (Figs. 9 and 10).

lhat I claim is:

l. In a tracker bar having a plurality of sets of channels of different widths at the face of said bar, each of the wider channels conforming to the widths of the perforations in the roll through part of its area, and having aV portion thereof of less width.

2. A tracker bar having a plurality of sets of channels of different widths at the face ot said tracker bar, each of the wider channels conforming in part to the widths of the perforations in the roll, and partly reduced in area at face of the tracker bar, whereby the cross-sectional areas of the two sets of channels are substantially uniform.

3. A tracker bar having channels and a transposing device consisting of a tnhehead located adjacent said tracker bar and means for shifting the same longitudinally with relation to the tracker bar whereby the channels in the tube head may be caused to register with the next adjacent channels in the tracker' bar either higher or lower in key comprising a scale upon the face of the tracker bar, a movable finger-piece, located adjacent. said scale so as to move thereover, and an operative connection from said tingerpiece to the tube head.

4. A single tracker ot sets of channels, a

the face of the tracker bar and means torl adjusting the tube head longitudinally with respect to the tracker bar to bring the channels in the tube head into register with the adjacent channels in each set in the tracker bar, eithtr higher or lower in key.

5. A single tracker bar having two sets of channels with openings of different spacing at the front. a tube head longitudinally adjustable with respect to said tracker bar, provided with transverse channels and acting as a combined tube head, transposing device and change slide, means for adjusting said tube head whereby the channels in said tube head may be caused to register with either set of channels in the tracker bar as a change slide, and thechannels in the tube head maybe caused to register with adjacent channels in either set ot' channels in the tracker bar either higher or lower a transposing device.

t3. A single tracker' bar having two sets of channels' of ditfcrent spacing at the tace and ot' similar spacing and sine at the rear, thc channels at the rear beingrslaggered, a tube head longitudinally adjustable with respect to ,the tracker bar, having' a sct ot tubes and a row of chambers into which the tubes open` cach chamber extelnlingacross both rows` ot channels and cin'rcsponding in width and spacing to -thc rcar openings in said channels, and means lor adjusting the tube head.

T. A tracker bar having a plurality of sets of channels. a longitudinally -adjustable slide adapted to opcn one set ot channels according to znljustnlcnt, and means for adjusting the saine, a tube head longitudinally adjustable, and provided with air channels` adapted to regi-ster with said open channels, and means for adjusting said tube head whereby the air channels therein may be caused to register with the adjacent open tracker' bar channels either higher or lower inkey.

8. A tracker bar having two sets of channels of ditiercnt spacing and size at the face and of the same spacing and size at the rear, and both sets symmetrically disposed with relation to each other aty the rear, a longitudinallymdjnstable slide at the rear of the tracker bar, having a plurality ot' sets of openings of like size and spacing but staggered with respect to each other, and means for adjusting said slide, and a tube head longitudinally adjustable with respect to the tracker bar.

t). A tracker bar having a plurality of sets of channels, an adjustableslide adapted including head having tubes adapted to register with j said open channels and means for adjusting the saine whereby said tubes may be brought into register with adjoining channels, either higher or lower in ke'v.

l0. A tracker bar having a plurality of Sets of channels and an adjustable slide adapted to open one set of said channels, and means for adjusting and holding the same comprising a lingerpiece upon the tracker bar, a 'earn rotatably connected with said finger-piece and tianges upon the slide einbracing said cani.

11. A tracker har havingr channels, a tube head longitudinally adjustable having air openings adapted to register with said channels and means for adjusting said tube head ccniprising a fingerpiece on the tracker bar, a rotatable gear operatively connected thereto, a second gear meshing therewith and i itatably mounted upon the tracker bar. a swinging arm operatively connected to said second gear and having a sliding connection with. the tube head` l2. A tube head comprising a series of parallel adjacent air chambers, a tracker bar having channels, ineans for connecting said channels and chainbe s a connection from each of said chambers to the pneumatics. a tube oblong in cross section opening into each of said chalutiers, whereby the capacity ol the tube at the point ot' connection is increased without removing an gular portion, the side walls of which converge from front to rear and the top andl bottom walls of which diverge from front to rear.

14. A tracker bar comprising a tracking face, a central wall, channels disposed on either side of said wall, a bottoni plate perfcratedv for said channels, tins extending rear and fronty from the said face and bottoni plate forming part of the outer Walls ot said channels, lids closing said channels, walls extending rearwardly from the bottoni plate and a tube head between the same, and nieans on said walls head in position and permitting the same to move longitudinally.

l5. A tracker bar provided With channels and fins integral with the body of the tracker bar closing the outer sides of said channels at their forward and rear parts,

and a lid resting snugly. against the outside of said channels and closing the balance thereof.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES J. KLEIN. Vitnesses AUGUST ASSMANN, B. LEVINTHAL.

for retaining said tubev 

